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Modern-day slavery: Nations discrimination by nationality should be wiped out

I pray that one day, in the not-too-distant future, my children's children will not be discriminated agains based on their country of origin or nationality. I pray that one day, our children's children will look back at the history books and wonder why all humans were never granted the freedom of movement that they enjoy.

The shame of nations

Today, we see that your nationality determines who you are and where you can go. If you carry the right passport, you can travel freely anywhere, irrespective of character or your motives. Nobody questions you. However, if you have the wrong passport, your movement is curtailed. You cannot enter some countries irrespective of your good intentions. If this is not discrimination, then help me understand the definition.

Unfortunately, this is legitimate discrimination that is practiced by all countries around the world - rich and poor, powerful and less powerful, democratic and non-democratic. This legitimate form of discrimination transcends all boundaries. That is why we are so complacent about it. We simply accept that this is how things should be.

Today, we consider this injustice as acceptable because this is how we found it. Society has brainwashed us to believe that it is normal and OK. The same way some of our forefathers considered slavery as normal, because that is all they knew. You're born a slave and you'll die a slave. You're born a master and you'll die a master. Your destiny and how society should see you was already defined by your ancestral line.

"Evil prevails when good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke

But, it took some courageous people who had the guts to speak out and change things - slaves who knew in their hearts of hearts that this is not how life was meant to be, masters who knew in their hearts of hearts that this is not how life was meant to be. Some knew that if you were born a slave you should not spend your whole life as a slave and die as a slave. If your ancestors were slaves, that should not sentence you to a life of slavery. Your status in life should be dependent on your character, not on your ancestral history.

I therefore challenge us all to think about the frustrations of millions of good meaning people on this planet who cannot go where they want to, cannot enjoy the beauty of touring different parts of the world, are not allowed to attend important events, simply because they carry the wrong passport.

Let us reflect on this.

I strongly believe that one day, our children's children will wonder how and why it happened. Why should anyone be denied access to a country because of their birthplace? Why should their movement be curtailed because of where they are from or their nationality? Just like in the days of slavery when slaves have to get special permits before they can move, so we are experiencing modern day slavery. All forms of modern-day slavery and discrimination should be eliminated in our lifetime.

10
years ago, this day (7th April), I lost a very special woman in my
life. 10 years later, I still feel the urge to connect with her. Words cannot
describe the emptiness. There’s no substitute for a mother’s unconditional
love. Neneh, we miss you. May Allah continue to bless you, and may you continue
to rest in peace.

Our daughter Fatmata (Binta) Bah is the proud recipient of the Middle School Ambassador award for 2018 for "consistently demonstrating kindness and respect for all members of the community and beyond, for representing DAA in athletics and humanitarian work, for excellence in academics, and admirable work ethic". She is considered as "motivating, gracious, ambitious, inspiring, dedicated to learning, takes pride in her work, a quiet leader who leads by example, never wanting the spotlight on herself, with the ethos of helping others over herself, gentle, kind, thoughtful, with a caring spirit...". We thank God for his blessings.